Portable pipe thread cleaning device



J. D. M CARTNEY PORTABLE PIPE THREAD CLEANING DEVICE April 8, 1969 INVENTOIL- 0; MZ'AZT/Vf) JACK Filed Oct. 5, 1965 ATTORNEYS,

April 8, 1969 J. D. M CARTNEY PGRTABLE PIPE THREAD CLEANING DEVICE Sheet L of 2 F' ed Oct. 5, 1965 BY M ATTORNEYJ.

United States 3,436,783 PORTABLE PIPE THREAD CLEANING DEVICE Jack D. McCartney, Box 519, Cut Off, La. 70345 Filed Oct. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 493,148 Int. Cl. B08g 1/04 US. Cl. 15104.03 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning internal and external threads of a threaded conduit, and more particularly to the cleaning of boxes and pins of oil field tubular goods, such as drill pipe, casing and tubing.

Oil field tubular goods are generally made with an externally threaded end called a pin and an internally threaded collar called a box for threadably receiving pins of similar goods. Oil field tubular goods are manufactured by large steel companies at central manufacturing plants and are transported by railroad or barge to a number of pipe yards of retail pipe distributors or oil companies. Because of the sporadic requirement of a particular odd size drill pipe, casing or tubing, the pipe is often stored in such pipe yards for considerable lengths of time prior to use. A large portion of the oil field equipment expended in this country is in southern Louisiana and the Texas Gulf Coast where environmental conditions are such to rapidly corrode threaded pipe sections, even when the pins and boxes are equipped with thread protectors which normally prevent only mechanical damage to the threads.

At the present time pipe is preferably stored in a pipe yard upon pipe racks which elevate the tubular goods from the ground to avoid ground or electrolytic corrosion thereof. Because of high atmospheric corrosion, pipe threads must be maintenanced at periodic intervals to preserve the useful life thereof and to protect the large amount of capital invested. Under present methods of thread maintenance, about five men are required to conduct a thread maintenance operation.

Another situation in which pipe threads must be cleaned in the oil field is during the reworking or recompletion of a pre-existing well. During such an operation, one or more strings of tubing are normally retrieved from the well in order to replace a packer, perforate a productive zone or the like. When the tubing is on the surface, the threaded joints are normally cleaned in order to remove paraffin, mud and the like.

Removing rust, corrosion, paraffin, mud and the like from pipe threads is a tedious operation requiring an unduly large working area having a continuous pipe rack over which the goods may be rolled. Generally, the first step is to remove a number of joints from a preexisting pipe stack, remove the thread protectors from each end of each joint (it being understood that tu'bing extracted from a well is not so equipped), and roll the pipe to a cleaning location. After the joint is at the cleaning location, one individual at each end of each joint manually cleans the threads at his end with a wire brush dipped in a cleansing solvent. Each end of the joint is then doped, a term of art which means the application of a protective grease, with the thread protectors being retrieved from .atent O 3,436,783 Patented Apr. 8, 1969 the position where they were removed and then reinserted into each end of each joint. After the cleaning operation is complete, the joint is rolled to a new storage area where a new stack composed of cleaned joints is accumulated.

It should be apparent from the preceding discussion that the cleaning of oil field pipe joints is a tedious and expensive operation requiring the employment of numerous workers.

It is accordingly a primary object of the instant invention to provide a method and apparatus for rapidly and economically cleaning the threaded ends of pipe joints.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a method and apparatus for cleaning the threaded ends of pipe joints in which movement of individual joints is unnecessary.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide a method and apparatus for cleaning threaded pipe joints in which cleaning brushes are rotated against the periphery of the threaded pin or box.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide a method and apparatus for cleaning threaded pipe connections in which a cleaning fluid impinges on the area sought to be cleaned with a rotating brush being used to abrade contaminating materials therefrom.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide a portable cleaning device which allows an operator to move from location to location to clean threaded joints at various sites.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention, as well as the invention itself, reside in the combinations of elements and manipulative steps, arrangements of parts and manipulative steps, and features of construction and operation, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an overall organizational view of the apparatus of the instant invention showing a mobile trailer and a portable cleaning device;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the mobile trailer of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the rotating brush and fluid delivery means for a box cleaning device of the instant invention;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of a pin cleaning brush with a pin being shown in dashed lines;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevational view of the pin cleaning brush of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view of the rotary fluid connector of FIGURE 3 taken substantially along line 33 thereof viewing in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 7 is an end elevational view of a plurality of drill pipe joints showing the pin end thereof;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of the pin of a drill pipe joint having externally upset ends;

FIGURE 9 is an end elevational view of a plurality of drill pipe joints showing the box end thereof; and

FIGURE 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the box of a drill pipe joint having externally upset ends.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like reference characters designate like elements throughout the several views thereof, there is indicated generally at 10 a thread cleaning device including a mobile trailer indicated generally at 12 and a portable cleaning gun designated generally at 14. As will be more fully explained hereinafter, trailer 12 includes a power takeoff panel denominated generally at 16 providing an electrical connection between trailer 12 and cleaning gun 14 for rotating a cleaning brush designated generally at 18 through which is delivered a cleaning fluid through a.

fluid delivery system shown generally at 20 for cleaning a box shown generally at 22 or a pin 24 of a tubular conduit designated generally at 25.

Trailer 12 includes an enclosed housing 26 carrying at least one axle 28 on the ends of which are mounted a ground engaging Wheel 30. A vertical transverse wall 32 divides housing 26 into a cleaning fluid compartment shown generally at '34 and a motor and pump compartment indicated generally at 36. A draw bar 38 is fixedly secured to one end of trailer 12 providing an aperture 40 which may be secured to a trailer hitch of a vehicle thus providing long range mobility for trailer 12. In the alternative, draw bar 38 may be used to guide or push trailer 12 from one location to another inside a pipe yard. A kickstand 42 having an enlarged ground engaging flange 44 is pivotally mounted on the underside of housing 26 in order to level trailer 12 when it is stationary and in the operating position.

Fluid compartment 34, which constitutes a part of fluid delivery system 20, includes an externally threaded inlet 46 receiving a cap 48 which may be removed providing an entrance for cleaning fluid. An outlet conduit 50 connects fluid chamber 34 to the remainder of fluid delivery system 20 including a low volume low pressure pump 52 delivering fluid under pressure to a by-pass valve 54 communicating with the interior of fluid compartment 34 through a fluid return or by-pass line 56. Pump 52 also delivers fluid to an outlet passageway 58 communicating with a quick-disconnect 60 positioned exteriorly of housing 26. With valve 54 open and a cap placed on quick-disconnect 60, it will be seen that fluid will be recirculated from fluid compartment 34 through outlet conduit 50, pump 52, valve 54 and by-pass line 56.

The upper end of pump compartment 36 includes a lid 62 having a suitable handle 64 pivotally mounted as at 66 providing ingress to the interior of compartment 36. Opening lid 62 will reveal an electric motor 68 positioned within compartment 36 connected to a clutch or coupling 70 drivingly engaged with pump 52.

In the operation of fluid delivery system 20, fluid compartment 34 will be filled with a suitable cleaning fluid, such as a solvent for rust, corrosion or the like. Valve 54 will be positioned in communication with fluid return line or by-pass 56 with electric motor 68 being actuated as more fully explained hereinafter resulting in the flow of cleansing fluid through outlet conduit 50, pump 52, valve 54 and bypass 56 thus recirculating and agitating the cleaning fluid within compartment 34. When it is desired to deliver cleaning fluid to gun .14, valve 54 will be actuated to communicate through outlet passageway 58 to quick-disconnect 60.

Power take-off panel 16 includes a plurality of electrical receptacles 72, 74, 76 which are illustrated as having varying numbers of prong-receiving openings for purposes of differentiation, but it is to be understood that receptacles 72, 74, 76 may have any number of openings needed for the purposes contemplated hereinafter. Receptacle 74 is preferably connected to a power cord 78 having a male plug shown generally at 80 for insertion into a hot receptacle of any desired type. Electrical power is generally available in pipe-yards or adjacent a well that is being recompleted, but it is to be understood that trailer 12 may carry an electrical generator if electrical power is not available.

Receptacle 74 is connected by an electrical conduit 82 to receptacle 76 with a wire 84 leading to motor 68 and providing electrical energy with which to drive pump 52. A pump control wire 86 leads from a male plug shown genreally at 88 insertable into receptacle 76 to a pump actuating mechanism shown generally at 90 secured to gun 14. An electrical conduit 92 connects receptacles 72, 74 with receptacle 72 being connected by a control cord 94 having a male plug indicated generally at 96 to a shaft actuating means indicated generally at 98 on gun 14.

When device is positioned for cleaning the threads of a plurality of pipe joints, male plug of power cord 78 will be inserted into an appropriate hot receptacle delivering electrical power to receptacle 74 on power takeoff panel 16. Male plug 88 of pump control wire '86 will be inserted into receptacle 76 with pump actuating means being operable to close an electrical circuit including conduit 82, wire 84 and control wire 86 to deliver electrical energy to operate motor 68. Male plug 96 of control cord 94 will be inserted into receptacle 72 with actuating means 98 being operable to start the rotation of a shaft 100 of gun .14.

Power cord 78 is preferably of a sufficient length to allow trailer 12 to be positioned adjacent a plurality of pipe joints to be cleaned with motor control wire 86 and control cord 94 being of suflicient length to allow considerable operator movement with gun 14. Gun 14 may be a onehalf inch commercially available electric drill having a casing 102 housing an electric motor driven by electrical power transmitted through control cord 94 and operated by a trigger 104 of actuating means 98. Gun .14 also includes rotatable shaft 100 driven by an electric motor *within casing 102 carrying a chuck 106 on the end thereof for receiving a rotatable brush 18.

Brush 18 is connected to a shank 108 having an enlarged connector 110 on the end thereof releasably secured in chuck .106 in a conventional manner. Shank 108 is fixedly secured to an adaptor shown generally at 112 which is in turn fixedly mounted on a tubular conduit 114 leading to brush 18 all of which are rotatably mounted in a T 116 as may be seen in FIGURE 3. As may be seen in FIGURES 3 and 6, connector 112 includes a cylindrical plug 118 fixedly secured to the terminal end shank 108 connected to an intermediate section 120 forming a circumferential groove 122 connected by a plurality of radial conduits 124 to a central longitudinal extending passageway 126 formed by a terminal section .128 of connector 112.

T 116 forms a first passageway 130 rotatably receiving shank 108, a second enlarged passageway 132 rotatably receiving connector 112 with a third passageway 134 rotatably receiving the end of tubular conduit 114. T 116 forms a fourth passageway 136 substantially perpendicular to second enlarged passageway 13 2 threadably receiving a fluid conduit 138 connected by a quick-disconnect fluid tigh-t connector 140 to quick-disconnect 60 on trailer 12 as may be seen in FIGURE 1.

As should be apparent, the activation of pump 52 will deliver fluid through outlet passageway 58, quick-disconnects 60, .140 and fluid conduit 138 interiorly of T 116. Fluid will exit from conduit 138 into groove 122 of connector 112 in the pass through radial passageways through brush 18 as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

Tubular conduit 114 carries a coupling 142 for receiving in fluid passing relation a shaft 144 of brush 18 forming a passageway 146 closed by a plug 148 at the terminal end thereof. Fixedly mounted adjacent the terminal end of shaft 144 is a sleeve 150 with a plurality of apertures 152 communicating through the terminal section of shaft 144 and sleeve 150. Sleeve 150 carries a multiplicity of outwardly extending bristles forming a brush 154 which is preferably frusto-conical in configuration in order to efficiently clean a series of internal inwardly diminishing threads 156 in box 22 of tubular conduit 25 as may be seen in FIGURE 10.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 3, 9 and 10, it will be seen that the manipulation of actuating means 90 as well as trigger 104 of shaft actuating means 98 will deliver pressurized cleaning fluid through outlet apertures 152 and brush 154 and rotate shank 108, conduit 114 and shaft 144 thus imparting rotation to brush 154. Since pipe is conventionally stored in a truncated pyramidal configuration such as may be seen in FIGURE 9, any thread protectors received by threads 156 may be removed with brush 154 being rotated and inserted into box 22 of each of conduits 25 without requiring the movement of each of conduits 25 horizontally. It should be remembered that the conventional manner of cleaning pipe threads requires each individual conduit to be moved horizontally such that the Worker may reach internal threads 156 with a hand brush.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 5, a pin cleaning brush is shown generally at 158 including a frame shown generally at 160 forming a central well designated -generally at 162 into which a plurality of frame mounted brushes 164 extend. As may be seen in FIGURE 4, pin 24 extends into central well 162 with brushes 164 cleaning a series of external outwardly diminishing threads 166. Frame 160 includes a shaft 168 forming a passageway 170 for engagement with coupling 142 for rotation therewith and a plurality of evenly spaced conduits 172 which are illustrated as rectangular in configuration, but which may be of any suitable shape forming internal passageways 174 receiving cleaning fluid through conduit 114.

Brushes 164 are mounted on brush blocks 176 fixedly secured to the inner side of conduits 172 with a plurality of apertures 178 providing communication between passageways 174 and brushes 164 to allow the injection of cleaning fluid onto threads 166. While brushes 164 are illustrated as forming a cylindrical central well 162, it should be pointed out that they may form a frustoconical opening for closely receiving pin 24.

I Conduits 25 are illustrated as joints of drill pipe having externally upset ends 180, 182 adjacent box 22 and pin 24 with a longitudinal passageway 184 providing communication between the ends of pipe 25. As may be seen in FIGURE 8, the inner end of pin 24 is of a lesser diameter than externally upset end 182 of joint 25 forming a shoulder 186 which, when pin 24 is threadably received by box 22 cooperates with a shoulder 188 to prevent overtightening of the joint.

Each of rectangular conduits 172 and its associated brush 164 are sized such that they are no thicker than the shortest distance between the roots of pins 24 of adjacent conduits 25, this distance being shown by a double headed arrow 190 in FIGURE 7. It will be apparent, therefore, that pins 24 of the truncated pyramidal stack of pipes of FIGURE 7 may be cleaned by rotating pin cleaning brush 158 and delivering cleaning fluid through conduit 114 and passageway 170 with pins 24 being sequentially received between brushes 156 without the requirement of horizontally moving any of joints 25, thus saving considerable effort and labor in thread maintenance.

Although FIGURES 7 to inclusive have illustrated the cleaning of drill pipe, it should be understood that the method and apparatus of the instant invention may be conveniently utilized with any conventional conduits requiring periodic cleaning of the ends thereof. In the operation of the instant invention, it is preferred that box cleaning brush 18 and pin cleaning brush 158 be rotated at a high rate, such as between 500 and 1000 r.p.m. with the delivery of cleaning fluid through outlet apertures 152, 178 kept at a minimum to conserve the relatively expensive cleaning fluid, and in all events be kept less than 2.0 gallons per minute.

It is now seen that there is herein provided an improved method and apparatus for cleaning pipe threads, having all of the advantages of the instant invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, and since many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that the foregoing is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A pipe thread cleaning device comprising a mobile trailer,

a cleaning fluid tank mounted on said trailer,

an electric pump mounted on said trailer for pumping cleaning fluid from said tank,

an electric power takeoff panel on said trailer,

means detachably electrically connecting said panel to a source of electricity,

means electrically connecting said electric pump to said panel,

a portable cleaning gun including an electric motor having an elongated shaft means extending from one end thereof,

a pair of oppositely disposed handles rigidly secured to said gun,

a hand actuated control for said motor disposed in one of said handles,

flexible means detachably electrically connecting said motor control to said panel on said trailer,

:1 hand operated control for said electric pump in the other of said handles,

flexible means detachably electrically connecting said electric pump control to said panel on said trailer,

a T rotatably receiving said shaft means intermediate the opposite ends thereof, said shaft means having a central conduit in the portion thereof extending from said T oppositely of said motor,

a flexible conduit detachably connected at one end to the outlet side of said electric pump and at its opposite end to a side port of said T conducting cleaning fluid flow from said electric pump to the central conduit of said shaft means,

a brush, and

means mounting said brush on the free end of said shaft means, said mounting means including a plurality of outlet apertures communicating with the central conduit in said shaft means for directing cleaning fluid through said brush onto the threads of a pipe to be cleaned.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,161,122 11/1915 Froussard 15104.1 1,193,361 8/1916 Crepeau 15104.09 1,660,852 2/1928 Toney 1575 1,932,068 10/1933 Englebright et a1.

1,959,842 5/1934 Schnee 1575 2,152,036 3/1939 Froh.

2,629,121 2/1953 Petre 15104.03 2,635,393 4/1953 Barth.

2,661,494 12/1953 Crookston et a1.

2,922,174 1/1960 Mathews 15104.1

MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner. J. ZATARGA, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

